I first came across this recipe whilst watching ‘Gordon Ramsey Ultimate Cookery Course‘. The moment I saw it I HAD to try it. I love food like this, bright, spicy, sweet, crunchy, salty. Everything I want in food, this has it! It looks beautiful too, brilliant for sharing with the family at dinner, or for snacks at a party. I am sure these will go down great anywhere you serve them. Truly yummy, you have to try these!

Ingredients: (fills 8 gem leaves)

250g beef mince

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lime, zest and juice

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 red chili finely chopped

2 spring onions sliced thin on an angle

thumb sized piece of ginger, finely chopped

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 baby gem lettuce

The dressing:

1 tablespoon soy sauce

juice of half a lime

1 teaspoon sesame oil

half a red chili, finely chopped

handful chopped coriander

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Adjust these to your taste, add a little more lime juice or use less chili, whatever you want.

Fry the mince in olive oil until super crispy. You need to take these mince further than any mince you have cooked before. Dark brown individual pieces is what you are aiming for. Around 5 minutes in a hot pan should do it. Once done, set aside in a sieve to drain, this keeps them crispy.

Add the chopped garlic, ginger and red chili to the same pan and cook out for 2 minutes, after that add the lime zest and juice, along with the fish sauce and cook for another minute or so.

Add the mince back to the pan and mix well for 30 seconds.

To finish, add the sliced spring onion and just heat through, you want the crunch to still be there. Once done, remove from the heat and set aside.

Cut the end off the baby gem and gently pull the leaves off. You will need around 8 leaves. Arrange the leaves on a platter or board and fill with the crispy mince mixture.

For the final touch, mix all the dressing ingredients together, adjusting to your taste, just make sure you get hints of everything you have put in there. There you have it, one of my favourite meals of all time without a shadow of a doubt, you need this recipe in your life!